Eligibility

The Department of Communities and Justice is committed to funding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community-Controlled Organisations (ACCO). The NSW Justice Reinvestment Grant Program will prioritise funding to ACCO applicants.

For the purpose of this grant an ACCO delivers services that build the strength and empowerment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and people, and is:

• incorporated by relevant legislation (including Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations (ORIC) or NSW Fair Trading); and
• not-for-profit;
• controlled and operated by, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people; 
• connected to the community or communities in which they deliver the services; and
• governed by a majority Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander governing body or Committee.

Applicants will be required to provide documentation to support their ACCO status. 

In addition to ACCOs, only organisations with one of the following legal status are eligible to apply for funding:

• Incorporated Association registered with NSW Fair Trading
• NSW based not-for profit company limited by guarantee (must be registered with ACNC and/or have DGR status)
• NSW based Indigenous Corporation (must be registered with ORIC)
• NSW Local Aboriginal Land Council
• NSW non-government organisation established under its own Act of Parliament

For more information see:

• Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations (ORIC)
• NSW Fair Trading (Fair Trading)
• Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission

You are not eligible if you are:

• An individual.
• Incorporated not-for-profit organisations not controlled or operated by Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people.
• Federal and State Government agencies and bodies.
• NSW educational facilities (public schools, private schools, TAFE).
• For-profit organisations, including Aboriginal businesses.
• Unincorporated organisations or groups without an eligible auspicing organisation.
• Organisations that have not met project requirements, including acquittal and reporting, for funding received from DCJ in the previous two years.
• Organisations with Redress Obligations under the National Redress Scheme that that have not joined the National Redress Scheme for Institutional Child Sexual Abuse).

No. Businesses and for-profit organisations are ineligible for funding and cannot apply under the program. This includes through an auspice arrangement with an eligible applicant.

An eligible applicant can contract a business to undertake work as part of the project. However, the project cannot be solely delivered by the business.

Yes, provided that the works funded with the Justice Reinvestment Grants Program grant are a new project stage that does not start before 1 July 2024 and will be completed by 30 June 2027.

Before funding is released, grant recipients are required to clearly indicate what the funding will be expended on if the same project received funding from another funding source.

Yes. However, it is important to note that, if you are applying as part of a partnership arrangement, one of the organisations in the partnership will need to take the lead role in the project and apply for the grant. If the project is successful, the Funding Agreement will be with the applicant organisation, and that organisation will be contractually responsible to DCJ for the delivery of the project.

If your Aboriginal organisation or group is unincorporated but wishes to apply for a grant, your organisation will need to enter an auspicing agreement with an eligible organisation. This auspicing organisation will need to apply for the grant and the Funding Agreement will be with this auspicing organisation. The unincorporated organisation will be listed as a project partner in the application.

Unincorporated groups must be Aboriginal community groups – that is, they must be led by Aboriginal people. If an unincorporated Aboriginal group wishes to apply for a Justice Reinvestment grant, they will need to partner with an eligible organisation to receive and administer the funding (auspice).

Yes. Receiving funding from other sources does not prevent an organisation from applying to this program. However, if the project has other income sources the application must clearly indicate all income sources and related expenditure. Applicants will be asked to show all income and expenditure for the project, not just the component being requested through this program.

Before funding is released, grant recipients are required to clearly indicate what the funding will be expended on if the same project received funding from another funding source.

Yes. The applicant organisation must be covered by Public Liability insurance of up to $10 million. The insurance cover must be valid for the entire duration of the project.

If your organisation is not covered, you will need to approach another organisation to sponsor your application so that your project will be covered under their Public Liability Insurance.

Alternatively, the cost of public liability insurance for the purposes of the project can be included in the project budget.

Yes, you can apply for both the NSW Justice Reinvestment Grant Program and the Commonwealth Government’s National Justice Reinvestment Grant Program. 

Yes, communities that are not restricted to one geographical place are eligible to submit an application. 

No, only organisations that are based in NSW, and work in NSW, are eligible to apply.

Yes, funding can also be used to support initiatives amongst Torres Strait Islander communities.